The long way home
So we arrived at Gare Du Nord with about 2-3 hours to spare before our train- nothing to do but sit and wait. the group split up around the available seats and moped about, the longest goodbye possible...
The problem started as they announced a delay on the train before ours- which of course delayed all the rest of us- for up to another two hours. However eventually everyone found themselves on a train-albeit not the right one and |I found myself in a very comfortable one and got a meal served to me- as accidents happen it turned out that as I was alone they upgraded me-Yayyy!
Once in London (nothing to say about the Eurostar trip itself cause it was dark and there wasn't a lot of evidence about our speed) it was no trouble to get to Paddington on the Underground and then travel to Didcot to see Phillips smiling face.
My time in Didcot has been wonderful and I have felt very much at home. Phillip and Nagma could not have been more accommodating. Boys went to London, had a look around and then to a concert- War of the worlds. We had a quiet little Christmas after visiting the Uffington White Horse and flying a kite.
We also took a turn around Oxford where I invested in a beautiful new Jacket
which has proved very warm in this part of the world. Oxfordshire has proven a wonderful invitation to relax and ponder over a few things that required pondering- especially in terms or the experiences I had in Europe.
Life in Britain is pretty full on and there's a very different vibe to that in Aotearoa- something we should treasure and keep safe, even if it costs us some standing economically we should hold on to that concept of Godzone in terms of how we treat each other and in defining that all important value we place upon the worth of each of those we walk alongside.
After Christmas we packed the car and made our way north to Manchester to meet with Nagma's family.
The problem started as they announced a delay on the train before ours- which of course delayed all the rest of us- for up to another two hours. However eventually everyone found themselves on a train-albeit not the right one and |I found myself in a very comfortable one and got a meal served to me- as accidents happen it turned out that as I was alone they upgraded me-Yayyy!
Once in London (nothing to say about the Eurostar trip itself cause it was dark and there wasn't a lot of evidence about our speed) it was no trouble to get to Paddington on the Underground and then travel to Didcot to see Phillips smiling face.
My time in Didcot has been wonderful and I have felt very much at home. Phillip and Nagma could not have been more accommodating. Boys went to London, had a look around and then to a concert- War of the worlds. We had a quiet little Christmas after visiting the Uffington White Horse and flying a kite.
We also took a turn around Oxford where I invested in a beautiful new Jacket
which has proved very warm in this part of the world. Oxfordshire has proven a wonderful invitation to relax and ponder over a few things that required pondering- especially in terms or the experiences I had in Europe.Life in Britain is pretty full on and there's a very different vibe to that in Aotearoa- something we should treasure and keep safe, even if it costs us some standing economically we should hold on to that concept of Godzone in terms of how we treat each other and in defining that all important value we place upon the worth of each of those we walk alongside.
After Christmas we packed the car and made our way north to Manchester to meet with Nagma's family.
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